Fluctuating temperatures may hit wheat crop
Chandigarh, February 3
What is worrying
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, is that the rise in the average minimum night temperature and the humidity level may not only harm agriculture, but also the ecosystem in the state.
A wheat field on the Mohali- Fatehgarh Sahib road Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

MC issues show-cause notices to officials
Patiala, February 3
Taking advantage of the election code of conduct, builders had constructed many illegal structures in Patiala due to lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Corporation officials.

No awareness camps planned, it’s a non-event in Malwa’s cancer belt
Muktsar, February 3
Despite the fact that at least 1,100 persons have died of cancer in Muktsar district alone in the past 10 years and the disease is spreading its tentacles at an alarming pace, the health authorities have not planned any awareness camps for the World Cancer Day tomorrow.

Seat swapping may prove costly for SAD, BJP
Chandigarh, February 3
Swapping of two seats each between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its alliance partner Bhartiya Janata party
(BJP) is unlikely to give the desired result for which the leadership of both the parties had undertaken the exercise. The decision to deny seats to sitting legislators from four assembly segments and swapping the same was taken with a view to securing these seats for the alliance.
But the contest on all the four seats, namely Ludhiana (West), Amritsar (East), Garhshankar and
Batala, has been far from satisfactory for the alliance.

Congress workers thrash BJP supporters
Amritsar, February 3
A group of Congress workers allegedly clashed with five members of a family, which supported BJP candidate from Amritsar (North), in the Mustfabad area here today.

BJP MLA Anil Joshi interacts with family members who were allegedly beaten up by Congress workers in Amritsar. Photo: Sameer Sehgal

Cong candidates lobbying for berths already!
Chandigarh, February 3
The poll results may be a month away but it is a virtual ‘mela’ at PPC chief Capt Amarinder Singh’s residence here. Congress candidates hopeful of a victory have started lobbying for Cabinet berths. Even bureaucrats are veering towards the PCC president.

No NRI in Jalandhar district cast his ballot
Jalandhar, February 3
Even as the NRI Sabha ended up "lauding" and "thanking" the NRI voters for their active participation in the assembly elections held on January 30, the ground reality is that none turned up to cast vote in nine assembly constituencies of the district.

Fazilka loses historical lake to govt apathy
Fazilka, February 3
While the World Wetland Day was celebrated on February 2, with the slogan of "water is life", none in the district administration bothered to think about the historical Badha Lake here, which has become a victim of human greed and official neglect.
Farmers have grown crops on the dried up bed of the extinct Badha Lake in Fazilka. Photo by writer

EU seeks more info on potato
Chandigarh, February 3
The European Union, which is keen to import potatoes from Punjab, has sought more information from the state government. Owing to glut, farmers had recently thrown potatoes on roads in Jalandhar in protest against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards their plight.

Sehajdharis want SGPC House dissolved
Chandigarh, February 3
Dr PS Ranu, president, Sehajdhari Sikh Party, has said the newly elected House of the SGPC stands “nullified” in the light of the recent orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and directions of the Supreme Court.

Attack on employees: SGPC to approach Akal Takht
Amritsar, February 3
Three days after armed activists of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee, a private outfit, attacked SGPC employees with sharp-edged weapons, the SGPC today talked tough and warned the committee to mend its ways, besides announcing to approach the Akal Takht over the issue.

Chadha group has stakes in TV channel too
Patiala, February 3
After liquor, films and real estate, the Chadha Group has ventured into the electronic media with stakes in a private news and entertainment satellite channel that operates from Patiala and is viewed in Punjab and Delhi.

More trouble for Sukhi Chahal
Ludhiana, February 3
More troubles are lying ahead for US-based NRI Sukhi Chahal, who was caught by the Ludhiana police last month in connection of a 20-year-old case in which he had tried to extort Rs 10 lakh from Congress leader Malkit Singh Birmi during the 1992 assembly elections by posing as a conduit of the Khalistan Commando Force.

Gala time for old Aitchisonians in Patiala
Patiala, February 3
Old Aitchisonians from Lahore in Pakistan, who reached here yesterday to attend the 64th founder's day of Yadavindra Public School
(YPS), Patiala, are having a gala time in the city. They are busy visiting various historical places and attending social gatherings at close friends' houses.

Mid-day meal: Education dept releases money
Patiala, February 3
After Human Rights Commission took notice of the news reports regarding non-dispersal of funds for the mid-day meal scheme in Punjab, the Education Department released a part of the payment.

Under debt, farmer kills himself
Amritsar, February 3
Unable to pay a debt of Rs 80,000, farmer Baljinder Singh Babba of Veela Teja village committed suicide last evening.
Babba, with a land-holding of two acres, was working as a chowkidar (security guard) at a nearby godown for additional income. He was being paid Rs 100 per day for the job.

Selection of woman member set aside
Chandigarh, February 3
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the appointment of a woman member of the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Man arrested for kidney ad
Patiala, February 3
The police has arrested a person for issuing an advertisement in a newspaper to buy a kidney. The accused has been identified as Karnail Singh, a resident of Kherha Jattan village. "An NGO in Bathinda took notice of the advertisement and after identifying the person, reported the matter to the health ministry", the police said.

Fluctuating temperatures may hit wheat crop
PAU scientists warn that climatic changes may take a toll on various crops grown in the state
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 3
What is worrying Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, is that the rise in the average minimum night temperature and the humidity level may not only harm agriculture, but also the ecosystem in the state.

Senior officials today made a presentation in this regard before the university board comprising senior officials of the state agriculture, horticulture and other departments. Financial Commissioner (Development) Navreet Singh Kang was also present at the presentation.

The PAU scientists warned that the fluctuating temperature bode ill for the state’s cropping system. They said the sharp variation in the day and night temperatures in the past one week could hit the wheat crop.

“Technically, we call these as extreme events which can affect the crops one way or the other ”, he said. The wheat crop being at the tillering stage “requires a gradual change in temperature. However, we have seen an unusual fluctuation in the temperatures during the past one week or so. This is not good for the wheat crop”.

Dr Satbir Singh said the Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India, had approved a project worth Rs 6 crore for PAU to study the changes in the climatic pattern and its affect on crops in the state.

Studies carried out by PAU had established that the minimum night temperature during the past 40 years had gone up in the state by 1 degree Celcius, which was worrisome, said Dr Gosal.

“We expect that in due course, some crops, especially fruits like the pear, will disappear from the state and new tropical crops such as the banana and the cardamom will be included in the cropping system,” Dr Satbir Singh said.

He said PAU had found a considerable increase in the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxide levels in the state’s atmosphere. “This is a bad sign,” he said.

What is most worrisome is the increase in humidity by 8 to 10 per cent. “This can lead to diseases in crops that were not seen in the state earlier,” he said. “Some diseases like the blight and rust has begun to hit the crops and so has the black jassid. The African stem rust has also been detected in certain parts”, he said.

Patiala, February 3
Taking advantage of the election code of conduct, builders had constructed many illegal structures in Patiala due to lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Corporation officials.

An illegal shop near the Municipal Coporation office in Patiala on Friday.
Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

After the media highlighted the issue, the MC promised to look into it. More than 40 illegal structures had come up in the city, mainly on the Jhil Road and Tej Bagh Colony during the election period.

The MC top brass kept mum when these buildings were being raised, but now they promised stern action against defaulters by forming a special cell to identify such buildings.

The MC officials have started identifying these buildings and the Municipal Commissioner had also issued show cause notices to the inspectors in whose areas these buildings had been raised.

Senior MC officials, including the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner, said that the illegal constructions did not come their notice, but now they have identified all such buildings and stern action would be taken as per the rules.

Mayor Ajitpal Singh Kohli said the builders took advantage of the fact that government employees were busy in elections and could not pay attention towards them. "Now, we have identified all such buildings, which are around 40 in number, we will take strict actions against them. We will give them a chance to get the building plan cleared or the buildings would be demolished," he added.

Municipal Commissioner GS Sidhu said that they had already identified a few illegal buildings and would take suitable action in this regard. "I have already issued show cause notice to inspectors who have failed to check the mushrooming of these buildings and will take strict action against those involved in such activities," added Sidhu.

A roadside eatery shop that came up at stone's throw away distance from the MC office has now been converted into a cemented building without getting the building plan cleared. Though the eatery has been constructed on the PWD land, the owners have not bothered to get the building cleared from the corporation office located only a few metres away. Municipal Commissioner GS Sidhu said the building had not come up in the recent past, but still he had issued notice to the concerned persons.

Muktsar, February 3
Despite the fact that at least 1,100 persons have died of cancer in Muktsar district alone in the past 10 years and the disease is spreading its tentacles at an alarming pace, the health authorities have not planned any awareness camps for the World Cancer Day tomorrow.

The poor and rich both have been afflicted by the deadly disease. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal lost his wife Surinder Kaur to cancer last year. Former CM Harcharan Singh Brar’s son Kanwarjit Singh Brar “Sunny”, MLA Muktsar, is also reportedly suffering from the disease.

Though doctors claim that cancer is curable, if detected early stage, the government has neither the equipment to conduct tests nor any specialists in the countryside to advise patients. People are forced to go to Bikaner (Rajasthan) or some other metro city for diagnosis.

Surveys by NGOs show that villages in the Gidderbaha, Lambi and Muktsar subdivisions are highly prone to the disease with at least one cancer patient in each household.

“We neither have a specialist nor the equipment to detect cancer cases. Whosoever comes to us, we refer him/her to hospitals in Faridkot, Ludhiana or Chandigarh.”

Asked when a cancer awareness camp was held last, Dr Gurdeep said: “It was in Badal village in October last year.” Cancer patients from poor families lamented that government aid was not reaching them in time. “Also, only a few NGOs like Roko Cancer are providing us help,” they said.

Kulwant Dhaliwal, global ambassador, Roko Cancer, said: “We have been holding medical camps in 17 countries, including India. But, here in Punjab, the awareness level on cancer is almost zero, which is the main reason for the increasing number of cancer cases here.

“As the government has failed to spread awareness among the people, the disease has now spread to the Doaba belt too.”

World Cancer Day Today

n The Gidderbaha, Lambi and Muktsar subdivisions are highly prone to the disease with at least one cancer patient in each household

n
Cancer awareness camp was held last in Badal village in October last year, says Muktsar Chief Medical Officer

n
Poor families lament that the government aid is not reaching them in time

Chandigarh, February 3
Swapping of two seats each between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its alliance partner Bhartiya Janata party (BJP) is unlikely to give the desired result for which the leadership of both the parties had undertaken the exercise. The decision to deny seats to sitting legislators from four assembly segments and swapping the same was taken with a view to securing these seats for the alliance.

But the contest on all the four seats, namely Ludhiana (West), Amritsar (East), Garhshankar and Batala, has been far from satisfactory for the alliance. The Ludhiana and Amritsar seats have been contested by the BJP, while the Garhshankar and Batala seats were contested by the SAD. Though the senior leadership in both the parties are unwilling to make any "on-the-record" statement, in private they say that the decision did not go well.

The BJP has almost given up hope of winning the Ludhiana (West) seat that fell vacant after the resignation of SAD legislators Harish Rai Dhanda after the government cleared his name for appointment as chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission. It is a different matter that the move did not materialise.

The Ludhiana (West) seat was then taken back by the BJP for fielding its former state president Rajinder Bhandari. Party sources say that the seat is likely to be won by Congress nominee Bharat Bhushan Ashu. DP Maur, president, PAU Employees Union, also contested this seat on the PPP ticket.

The other seat taken by the BJP from the SAD was Amritsar (East). Here, the BJP had fielded Navjot Kaur, BJP leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife. Though the BJP has reportedly done well here, Congress nominee Sunil Datti and Sanja Morcha Candidate Baldev Singh Verka have performed equally well with the seat now being closely locked and the result could tilt either way.

But for the Batala seat that was taken away from the BJP, whose former parliamentary secretary Jagdish Sawhney was denied the ticket, the voters have gone all out in favour of Congress nominee Ashwani Sikri. Sikri had lost the Batala seat to Sawhney by just 84 votes in 2007. The SAD insiders say its nominee LS Lodhinangal, who is former Batala Improvement Trust chief, failed to make much headway and in retrospect, terming the decision as bad.

In Garhshankar, the SAD fielded Surinder Singh Bhulewal, district SAD chief, against Congress nominee Lov Kumar Goldy, who has won this seat before two times. The SAD insiders say here, too, the choice of candidate was wrong as Goldy had some opposition on account of "displeasing" some people during his two terms as MLA. But the SAD could not take advantage of the situation and thereby losing the advantage it could have gained.

There was resentment among local cadres of the SAD and BJP after they took the decision to swap these four seats, but the leadership pacified the workers that the decision had been taken in the best interest of both the parties. The indications are that the decisions were wrong, but only the result on March 6 will tell whether the party leaderships were right.

In their complaint lodged with the Sadar police, they alleged that the accused barged into their house, dragged them out and thrashed them while shouting that they (the family) had supported the BJP in the recently concluded assembly elections.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the accused were in inebriated condition. They said they even did not spare the elderly and women.

Kundan Singh alleged that the accused kept grudge against them as “we have voted for sitting MLA Anil Joshi in the assembly elections”.

Meanwhile, Joshi also reached the spot and met the family members. He assured them that justice would b done.

Sohan Singh, SHO, said an altercation had occurred between the two groups a couple a days ago. He said the case had been registered against Dalbir Singh, his wife Roshan, Vijay and over 12 unidentified persons.

He said the accused were at large and raids were being conducted to nab them.

Chandigarh, February 3
The poll results may be a month away but it is a virtual ‘mela’ at PPC chief Capt Amarinder Singh’s residence here. Congress candidates hopeful of a victory have started lobbying for Cabinet berths. Even bureaucrats are veering towards the PCC president.

Amarinder has been meeting everyone with his close aides Arvind Khanna and Kushaldeep Dhillon facilitating the meetings. He has been busy hosting and attending dinners. While the PCC chief held a dinner for his core team of 20 persons and their spouses two days back, Barnala legislator Kewal Dhillon hosted a dinner for him yesterday.

After dinner by former MP Rana Gurjeet Singh, the PCC chief is scheduled to attend Lohri celebrations at the Gymkhana Club in Patiala tomorrow. Senior leaders are looking upon the dinners as a show of strength.

Sources say lobbying has begun for ministries with informal exit polls conducted by the party showing that senior leaders may lose their seats. Young turks like Sunil Jakhar, Jassi Khangura, Sukhpal Khaira, OP Soni, Kewal Dhillon and Jasbir Dimpa are putting forth their claim to ministership. Others hoping for berths are Rana Gurmeet Sodhi from Guruharsahai.

Among Hindu candidates, Arvind Khanna is likely to get an important place in the government. Supporters of Ashwani Sekhri from Batala feel that he too should get his due.

Sources say that Amarinder has gone through the gradation list of both IAS and IPS officers in the state. They say a senior IAS officer posted in Delhi, who came to the state for a short period during the SAD-BJP rule, is among the top contenders for the Chief Secretary’s post. Former officers in the CM’s office during Amarinder’s tenure may also stage a comeback. Sources say though the PCC chief is meeting everyone, he is likely to go by merit if given a chance to form government. They say Amarinder, who completely trusted people in the past, has learnt to be more cautious now.

Young Turks...

n
Young turks looking for a place in Cabinet are Sunil Jakhar, Jassi Khangura, Sukhpal Khaira, OP Soni, Kewal Dhillon and Jasbir Dimpa

Old-timers...

n
Among those who have served in the Cabinet before and are hoping for important berths are Rana Gurmeet Sodhi from
Guruharsahai.

n
Among the Hindu candidates, Arvind Khanna and Ashwani Sekhri are likely to get their due.

Jalandhar, February 3
Even as the NRI Sabha ended up "lauding" and "thanking" the NRI voters for their active participation in the assembly elections held on January 30, the ground reality is that none turned up to cast vote in nine assembly constituencies of the district.

A press release issued by NRI Sabha president Kamaljit Singh Hayre last evening stated that following the interest of the NRIs, the voter turnout in the next assembly elections would definitely increase.

The release written in Punjabi reads: "Rising interest of NRIs in the assembly elections a good sign, investment will also increase".

While Hayre lauded "the increase in the number of NRI voters and those who came from abroad to take part in the poll process, the fact is that only 15 NRIs from this NRI hub had registered themselves as voters.

According to the data provided by the Jalandhar election office, 15 NRIs had applied for voter registration out of which only nine were accepted. And not even a single NRI turned up to cast his vote.

"The NRIs kept making hue and cry on providing them the right to vote, but when this right was granted nobody could even spare a few minutes to cast vote," said an official from the election office.

The release also mentioned that NRIs working abroad find it difficult to visit India for election purpose only and that talks were on with various forums to allow voting to NRIs at respective embassies abroad.

When The Tribune spoke to the NRI Sabha president about the NRI voter turnout and the contrary release issued by his office, he said, "We sent the press release based on feedback from the NRIs in the district". On "rising interest" of NRIs in the elections, Hayre said, "NRIs expressed interest in the assembly elections. There were NRIs who could not become voters, but many visited India to support various parties and candidates".

Hayre also claimed that he had gone on a tour to Europe, US and Canada before the polls. “I personally held meetings with the NRIs to inform them about their right to vote, but this time the response was not encouraging", he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that for NRIs to register themselves as voters, it is mandatory that they appear in person with valid documents, Indian passport and local ration card to avail this facility. Many NRIs do not have either of the two owing to which they were unable to get registered as voters. On the other hand, those NRIs who applied through embassies were also not issued voter cards.

Chandigarh, February 3
The Election Commission of India has issued a clarification regarding applicability of the model code of conduct in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur where the voting process has been completed.

Kusumjit Sidhu, Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, today said that according to an ECI communiqué, in the states of Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand where voting had been completed, the commission had decided to allow ministers to undertake tours of districts. They could be accompanied by officers on such tours.

She said the commissionhad also allowed implementation of ongoing programmes and a review of such programmes with field officers, except for the officers who were on election duty.

She said the commission had allowed the holding of review meeting by officials, except for those who were on election duty.

The CEO said thecommission had allowed the calling for bids, evaluation and finalisation of bids and awarding contracts in these states. The commission had sent copies of the communication to the Chief Secretaries and CEOs of the three states, she added.

Fazilka, February 3
While the World Wetland Day was celebrated on February 2, with the slogan of "water is life", none in the district administration bothered to think about the historical Badha Lake here, which has become a victim of human greed and official neglect.

At present, cultivation is being carried out on about 48 acres of the wetland area. The land is owned by the Badha village panchayat and it has been leased out to farmers.

As per sources, between 1844 and1946, the lake was a source of drinking water for the people of the town. Till eighties, the lake was full of water and supported various species of migratory birds. But after that it started drying up and gradually became almost extinct.

The only source of water for the lake was the Sutlej creek. However, manmade hurdles plugged the flow of water from the creek, which used to recharge the lake every year. The lake thus dried up and yet another wetland succumbed to the alleged callousness of the government.

"No effort was made to save the wetland area and the government failed to provide any water source to keep the lake alive," rued Social Welfare Society president Raj Kishore Kalra.

Dr Bhupinder Singh, patron of Graduate Welfare Association, Fazilka, and retired professor of IIT, Roorkee, said, "The drying up of this small horseshoe shape lake has badly affected the ecology of the area".

As per official sources, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) had submitted a report to the Environment Department, stating that the conservation of this wetland was essential.

"Besides, repeated attempts were made to construct colonies on this ecological fragile area, but the opposition from the locals saved the area from becoming a concrete jungle," says Navdeep Asija, general secretary of the association.

In 1844, a Briton, Pat Van Agnew, constructed his bungalow (presently DC camp office-cum-residence) on the banks of the lake. He was impressed with the biodiversity and environment of this area.

"However, because of negligence on part of the authorities, human greed and some self-interest of political leaders, Fazilka has almost lost its vintage Badha Lake," said Asija.

"The only ray of hope for recharging the lake and the wetland area is fresh water feed from the Sutlej through the existing network of canals. Around 17 acres of panchayat land) is using the canal water for irrigation. The same can be used to recharge this low lying lake area followed by removing manmade obstructions and encroachments on the original natural route of the lake. This will also help improve the groundwater quality of this area," suggests
Asija.

Glory to oblivion

n
The lake was a source of drinking water for the people of the town between 1844 and1946

n
Till eighties, the lake was full of water and supported various species of migratory birds

n
But after that it started drying up and gradually became almost extinct

n
At present, cultivation is being done on about 48 acres of the wetland area. The land is owned by the Badha village panchayat

Chandigarh, February 3
The European Union, which is keen to import potatoes from Punjab, has sought more information from the state government. Owing to glut, farmers had recently thrown potatoes on roads in Jalandhar in protest against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards their plight.

The potato glut issue was discussed in a meeting of the PAU Board today in which officials of the state government were also present.

The government had assured the visiting EU team that potatoes grown in the state were free from all types of pathogens. However, not satisfied with the government's claims, the EU team has sought some more information. The team has asked the government to prepare a data on the lines suggested by it. The EU has a very strict protocol regarding import of eatables from other countries.

The potatoes grown in the state, especially in Malwa region, are irrigated with canal water.

The EU team has asked the state government to take samples of water used for irrigation and to find out whether it was free from bacteria. Secondly, the EU team has also asked the government to check whether weeds found in potato fields do not play host to any type of bacteria and disease.

The EU wanted that the potato crop should be produced from the seed prepared in the state, said an official.

Punjab is one of the largest producers of the potato seed. It supplies seed to West Bengal and some other states.

Chandigarh, February 3
Dr PS Ranu, president, Sehajdhari Sikh Party, has said the newly elected House of the SGPC stands “nullified” in the light of the recent orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and directions of the Supreme Court.

Therefore, the general house meeting cannot be held before fresh elections take place.

Dr Ranu said even the notification dated December 17,.2011, vide which the newly elected House had been notified by the Centre was subject to the writ petition no.17771 /03 filed by the Sehajdhari Sikh Federation

Dr Ranu said as per section 54 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925, it was mandatory to hold the first meeting of the SGPC House not later than a month from the date of the notification and even that period had lapsed. He was reacting to a statement by Avtar Singh Makkar that the Centre was interfering in Sikh affairs .

The Sehajdhari Sikh Party has filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking appointment of an administrator on the “nullified” SGPCon which the court issued notices to the Home Ministry, the Punjab Government and the Gurdwara Election Commission on January 3, 2012.

Amritsar, February 3
Three days after armed activists of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee, a private outfit, attacked SGPC employees with sharp-edged weapons, the SGPC today talked tough and warned the committee to mend its ways, besides announcing to approach the Akal Takht over the issue.

Addressing mediapersons here, SGPC Secretary Dalmegh Singh alleged that the committee was unnecessarily intervening in the SGPC's work. He accused the committee members of carrying out searches in different gurdwaras on their own without having any authority to do so. "Who has given them the right to act in such a manner?" he wondered. He further charged the panel members of attempting to conduct a search at an SGPC-run gurdwara in Kartarpur, besides taking away some literature from the house of writer Anoop Singh.

He claimed the SGPC was receiving complaints against the committee from different quarters. He said if at all the committee members fond something wrong at a religious place, they could sort out the matter in a peaceful manner by initiating a dialogue. "Assaulting individuals and taking law in hand is not a solution," he added.

Dalmegh also showed a video footage of the committee members brutally thrashing some individuals for allegedly committing sacrilege at a Ludhiana village. He said by resorting to such a move, the panel members not only took law in their hand but also exhibited disrespect to turban as during their action turbans of the aggrieved individuals fell off. He also lashed out against a committee supporter, Gurjinder Singh, who targeted the SGPC in an interview to a foreign TV channel, alleging that he himself had been booked for smuggling of drugs in the Chabbal area of Tarn Taran in 2006. He also produced a copy of the FIR lodged against Gurjinder in this regard. He cautioned Sikhs to be aware of such elements and "don't allow themselves to get misled by them".

Earlier, a group of armed activists belonging to the committee had attacked employees of the SGPC's publication wing in the city on January 31, accusing them of perpetrating sacrilege of religious scripture. Subsequently, the police had registered a case and arrested some of the activists of the committee involved in the violence in which some SGPC employees suffered injuries.

Patiala, February 3
After liquor, films and real estate, the Chadha Group has ventured into the electronic media with stakes in a private news and entertainment satellite channel that operates from Patiala and is viewed in Punjab and Delhi.

While all other business details are available on the “Wave Cinemas” website, the group’s stake in a news channel is still under the wraps.

Two partners in the Chadha Group, Rajendra Singh Chadha and Manpreet Singh Chadha, were appointed on the board of directors of the news channel ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections.

Enquiries revealed that two partners in the Chadha Group, founded by Kulwant Singh Chadha, were appointed on the board of directors of Chardikala Time TV which works under the banner of Chardikala Publications Private Limited. The channel was granted permission by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in March, 2007.

According to information on the official website of the IB Ministry, Chardikala Time TV had six members on the board of directors. The number increased to eight on August 19, 2011.

The channel, that has its office at SST Nagar, Rajpura Road, Patiala, has the rights for the live telecast of Gurbani from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, New Delhi.

Two members on the group’s BOD, Jatinder Pal Singh and Satbir Singh, refused to speak on the matter, claiming that only Dardi could comment on the issue. “Dardi is abroad so we cannot say anything”, they said.

Efforts to contact the Chadha group turned futile with its PR firm claiming the family was busy at a private function.

Muktsar, February 3
The Muktsar police's website has been lying defunct for the past one month.

As one goes to the website (www.muktsarpoliceonline.com), it shows a message "under maintenance". The same message has been flashing since the Election Commission replaced SSP Indermohan Singh with Harsh Bansal as the new SSP.

Earlier, the website was being daily updated and the people were able to lodge their complaints by sending e-mails to the officers concerned. Reports of daily crime and important cases were also being uploaded on this useful link. Besides, the contact numbers of all senior cops were also available on the website.

When contacted Muktsar SSP Harsh Bansal said, "All the officers remained busy in the assembly elections last month. Now, we have called an engineer to restore it, but it will take a week's time".

Ludhiana, February 3
More troubles are lying ahead for US-based NRI Sukhi Chahal, who was caught by the Ludhiana police last month in connection of a 20-year-old case in which he had tried to extort Rs 10 lakh from Congress leader Malkit Singh Birmi during the 1992 assembly elections by posing as a conduit of the Khalistan Commando Force.

Dilawar Chahal, elder brother of Sukhi Chahal, and Jaspreet Sidhu, a college mate of the NRI, said Sukhi had duped the US authorities by seeking political asylum.

‘He was expelled from college’

“I had graduated from Guru Nanak Engineering College (GNE), Ludhiana. I know Sukhi Singh Chahal since his college days. He was expelled for three years from the college for copying in examination," said Jaspreet Sidhu. The GNE authorities have confirmed this.

Had ‘duped’ US authorities

Dilawar said, “Sukhjit Singh, a resident Heeron Khurd village in Mansa was caught in a case of extortion by the then SHO Gurmeet Singh Pinky. Sukhi Chahal cooperated with the police and gave the names of all his associates and became a police informer and in return, he was spared," said the NRI's elder brother. He was acquitted by the court. After that, he fled to the US and applied for political asylum, which he managed to get and became a US citizen.

Molestation charge

An NRI woman had alleged that Sukhi had molested her in a community centre in California in 1996 and she had got restraining orders against him by a court in California.

Patiala, February 3
Old Aitchisonians from Lahore in Pakistan, who reached here yesterday to attend the 64th founder's day of Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, are having a gala time in the city. They are busy visiting various historical places and attending social gatherings at close friends' houses.

The delegation includes Hasan Noor, Qasim Zaman Khan, first cousin of Pakistani cricketer and politician Imran Khan, Mohammed Ali, son of Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and Rana Javed Iqbal, son of Punjab Assembly Speaker, Pakistan, among others. They are all part of the Aitchison Yadavindra Old Students' Association (AYOSA).

Rupinder Garg, secretary, AYOSA, says YPS, Patiala, shared a special relationship with Aitchison College since its inception in 1948. "Soon after the partition, princes and scions of aristocratic families, who were forced to shift to India and who were studying in Aitchison College, found themselves deprived of an educational institution of a similar rank and standing in India. As a result, they appealed to the late Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, who himself was an old Aitchisonian, to give shape to his old idea of starting a public school on the lines of Aitchison College in the region. Thus, Maharaja started this school with a strength of 21 students and 9 teachers on February 2, 1948," added Garg.

He further said that since then, both the institutions have built and strengthened their relationship through mutual visits to each other's institutions.

Patiala, February 3
After Human Rights Commission took notice of the news reports regarding non-dispersal of funds for the mid-day meal scheme in Punjab, the Education Department released a part of the payment.

The total pending amount for the mid-day meal scheme in Patiala district alone had touched over Rs 2 crore a month back. Many government schools had closed the scheme.

DEO (Elementary) Balbir Kaur Gill said that she had already released a part of the payment a few days back. She said she had already sent an explanation to the Director General of School Education, Punjab, in this regard. — TNS

Amritsar, February 3
Unable to pay a debt of Rs 80,000, farmer Baljinder Singh Babba of Veela Teja village committed suicide last evening. Babba, with a land-holding of two acres, was working as a chowkidar (security guard) at a nearby godown for additional income. He was being paid Rs 100 per day for the job.

Despite these efforts he was unable to pay his debt. A desperate Babba hanged himself to death in a room at his farm. His body was found by his mother Ravinder Kaur this morning.

Village nambardar Shingara Singh said: “Economically, he was weak. Though he had been working hard, he was broke. Babba had earlier freed his family land that was under mortgage.”Babba is survived by his widowed mother, his wife Harjeet Kaur, a six-year-old son and an infant daughter. Iqbal Singh, a neighbour said: “In the last two years as his income from agriculture went down, he faced difficulty in returning the loan. First, someone sold him a wrong seed variety and this year, the prices were too low.”

Fatehgarh Churian SHO Chain Singh said a case under Section 174 of the IPC had been registered. He said the deceased had taken institutional as well as non-institutional loan.

Chandigarh, February 3
A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has set aside the appointment of a woman member of the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The directions came six months after a Single Bench gave its nod to Amarpreet Sharma’s appointment, holding that the selection committee’s decision to take into consideration her five years’ experience in home tuition did not require interference.

He contended that eight woman candidates had appeared for the interview before the selection committee following an advertisement on October 16, 2009. Among other things, the advertisement said the applicant should have “experience of at least 10 years in dealing with problems related to economics, law, commerce, accountancy, industry, public affairs or administration.”

Counsel Atul Lakhanpal had argued before the Single Bench that Sharma’s appointment was not as per the qualification prescribed in the advertisement or under Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act.

Lakhanpal said her teaching experience was shown to be of five years. Experience of another five years in giving tuition was also mentioned in an attempt to show a total experience of 10 years.

Dismissing the petition, the Single Bench had ruled: “As per Section 16, apart from the educational qualification, the last condition is that the person should be of ability, integrity and standing and have adequate knowledge and experience of at least 10 years in dealing with problems related to economics, law, commerce, accountancy, industry, public affairs or administration.

“This definition is very broad and includes personal knowledge and experience in dealing with day-to-day problems of life related to economics etc. There is no condition that a person should have experience in a particular service or appointment….”

Patiala, February 3
The police has arrested a person for issuing an advertisement in a newspaper to buy a kidney. The accused has been identified as Karnail Singh, a resident of Kherha Jattan village. "An NGO in Bathinda took notice of the advertisement and after identifying the person, reported the matter to the health ministry", the police said.

Initially, the police was reluctant to register a case. Then the NGO approached the High Court, which directed the police to act within a week.

Lahori Gate Police Station SHO Devinder Singh said that initial probe revealed that the accused wanted to buy a kidney for his friend Balraj, whose only kidney got damaged. "After Karnail placed an advertisement in a newspaper, a member of the NGO, posing as a possible donor, demanded a sum of Rs 10 lakh, but the deal could not be materialised", he added.

The police has registered a case under Section 19 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 against the accused.

SP (City) Daljit Singh Rana said that investigations were on to ascertain the role of other accused, who had issued similar advertisements seeking or offering kidneys. "We need some time to probe the matter as majority of the mobile numbers were procured on fake IDs", he added.